Playground slide



Sept. 13, 1938. E M. BURKE PLAYGROUND SLIDE Original Filed June 13,1936

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 9 INVENTOR. I! z 7; //7 .27 fieyzzmarfe ATTORNEY Sept. 13, 1938. E. M. BURKE PLAYGROUND SLIDE Original Filed June 13, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 la -ml Q 6 INVENTOR. eff Burke,

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 13, 1938 PLAYGROUND SLIDE Ethelyn M.;-Burke, Fond du Lac, Wis.

Application'June'B, 1936, Serial No.'85,1'55 'Renewed July "22, 1938 4 :Glaims.

This invention relates to improvements in playground slides, and more particularly to the method of making the same.

'An object of 'the'invention'is to providean improved playground slide, whereby the'use of nails and screws will 'be entirely done away with, and interlocking metallicparts'substituted therefor.

A further object of'the invention will be to provide suitable means for securing the longitudinally positioned boards forming the slide bedway to the supporting framework, thereby eliminating the usualnails and screws which become loosened by vibration when the slide is used, and consequently make it necessary to continually repair the slide or discard the same long before its normal term of usefulness.

Another object of the invention is to provide transversely disposed bracing members for a playground slide bedway, together with cooperating interlocking and positioning members carried by the bracing members and adapted to be received or interlocked within longitudinally extending slots formed in the opposite sides of the longitudinally disposed bedway boards.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a plurality of transversely adjustable board locking or positioning members for the bedway of a playground slide, and cooperating longitudinally extending spacing and reinforcing strips disposed between and beneath the several boards forming the bedway proper.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of my application,

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved playground slide;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the chute proper;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the slide;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view, partly broken away and in section;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a plan view of my improved slide;

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of the slide;

Figure 10 is a plan view of the cross bracing elements;

Figure 11 is a bottom plan view of a cross bracing element;

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on'the' line |2'I'2 of Figure 10, and

Figure 13 is a perspective View of one of the board retaining and locking lugs.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specification and the accompanying claims 'to designate corresponding parts.

In carrying out my invention, 1 provide an improved playground slide generally denoted at I, and a ladder 2 secured thereto, a hand rail'3, and bracing legs 4 disposed at the opposite ends of the slide bedway.

The main novelty in my'invention resides .in the formation of the slide bedway proper and the construction and arrangement of the locking lugs which are not held in fixed position, thus compensating for expansion and contraction without raising the longitudinal wooden members or causing bulging or irregularities in the slide.

The boards 5 forming the bedway are grooved along their opposite longitudinal edges as shown in Figure 8 of the drawings, and are adapted to be spaced a slight distance apart, and to be positively and firmly held in place when the slide is completed. The opposite upper edges of the boards 5 are rounded to protect clothing when the slide is used. The side grooves in the boards 5 are designated at 6, and are adapted to loosely receive the inturned ears 1 on the locking and positioning lugs 8, said lug formation being clearly illustrated in Figure 13 of the drawings. Arranged in spaced relation along the length of the slide proper, are a plurality of wooden bracing or bed bars 9, which are secured by means of the bolts ID, to the oppositely disposed side guard rails ll, shown in Figures 2 and 3. Disposed upon the bed bars 9, which extend transversely across the slide, are the metal guide elements I2, which are formed with a centrally arranged slot l3, and oppositely disposed recessed seats l5 arranged at the opposite sides of the said slot. In practice, the seats will lie next to the bed bars 9, while the opposite sides of the guide elements l2 will be in contact with the bottom surfaces of the bedway boards 5. The guide elements l2 will re ceive a plurality of the locking lugs 8 on the seats l5 with the upwardly and inwardly turned ears 1 extending through the slot l3 and received within the grooves 6 in the side edges of the boards 5. There will be a pair of locking lugs 8 for each board 5 forming the bedway. This construction is best shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings. Metallic reinforcing and spacing strips l6 are formed as shown in Figure '7 of the drawings, and are adapted to be longitudinally disposed between the several boards 5, with the upstanding portions l! extending between adjacent boards, as clearly illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, said boards being supported directly upon the oppositely extending surfaces of the inverted T-shape spacing strips. Openings i8 and I9 will be formed through the guide elements l2 for placing suitable fastening means therethrough.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that absolutely no nails or screws are placed in the boards forming the bedway. In Figure 4, a portion of the edges of the boards 5 has been cut away to show the positioning of the ears of the locking lugs 8.

By utilizing this construction, I have provided a safe and efiicient type of playground slide, which will outlast other types of slides utilizing nails and screws to hold the bedway boards in position, and have a rigid slide reinforced by both wood and metal cross bracing members or elements. The use of the metal spacing strips will materially add to the strength of the slide.

It will be understood that many minor changes in detail of construction may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A playground slide having its bedway formed of a plurality of spaced longitudinally extending boards, a plurality of slotted bed bars arranged transversely of said bedway, locking means carried by said bars for locking said boards in position, and spacing means interposed between said boards extending between said locking means.

2. A playground slide having its bedway formed of a plurality of spaced longitudinally extending boards, a plurality of slotted bed bars arranged transversely of said bedway, locking lugs carried by said bars for locking said boards in position, and inverted T-shape spacing means interposed between said boards and extending between said opposite edges, a plurality of slotted bed bars arranged transversely of said bedway, locking lugs carried by said bars for engagement in the slots in said boards for locking them in position, guide rails at the opposite sides of said bedway, and inverted T-shape spacing means interposed between said boards and extending between said locking lugs.

ETHELYN M. BURKE. 

